Changing Seasons
by Peony-flower
Summary: A series of four Gruvia drabbles that focus on a specific season.


**Hello anyone who decided to tune in for the story. This is going to be a series of four almost drabble style stories that each focuses on a season. And to start us off is Spring. Enjoy!**

**P.S All the beginning parts will be written like an excerpt from Juvia's diary but then it will progress to normal third person narrative.**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING**

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><p><strong>Spring<strong>

_Dear Diary,_

_Today I was greeted by a soft breeze, one that brought forth warmth from the south instead of the brutal winds of the north. Barely able to hold in my excitement, I idiotically smiled like a fool for the remainder of the day, I did not care if the other members thought I was crazy, maybe I was at that moment, I was crazy with joy at the prospect of spring approaching._

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><p>The bluenette eagerly crossed off another day on her calendar. March 19th was at last finished and that meant the first day of spring officially commenced tomorrow. Juvia could not help herself from smiling at the mere thought, she had patiently waited through all the signs: buds sprouting from the thawed ground, animals reappearing from a long needed rest, and the forthcoming of warmer weather. By the time March approached, Juvia burst with excitement as the countdown began.<p>

For the longest of times, spring held the title of Juvia's most despised season. She loathed the concept of rebirth, why was everything and everyone else allowed to start anew while she was forever stuck in her bubble of rain? And the constantly reoccurring themes of opportunity and optimism riled her to great bitterness. Spring never presented its basket full of opportunities to her, and the bitter taste of unfairness lingered in her mouth for years to come, until that is, she met them. In the year of her seventeenth spring, a lifetimes' worth of unfairness dissolved as she was presented with the greatest gift she ever desired, loving friends and a true family to call her own. After her miracle occurred, Juvia's resentment towards the season quickly turned into adoration and gratitude. Opportunities for her "rebirth" appeared shortly afterwards, and while she managed to tightly grabbed onto some, others slipped through her grasp; specifically speaking, her chance at love. This year would be different, Juvia promised to create another miracle, to grab onto the opportunities, and to start anew. This year, on March 20, the first day of spring, Juvia Lockster, will muster the courage to confess to the man who freed her from the conformity of the rain, the man who's mere presence caused her to swell with joy, the man who she whole heartedly surrendered herself to, Gray Fullbuster.

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><p>Listening to the pitter patter of the rain, Juvia quietly observed her natural element at work while she stood safely under the cover of the large beige awning. She nervously twirled the umbrella in her hand, how ironic, the rain woman carrying an umbrella. Juvia did not fear getting drenched by the spring rain, it was an invigorating sensation, but an activity for another day. The real reason why she idly stood waiting in front of the bakery on an early Tuesday morning was because he was here.<p>

The bluenette turned at the chiming of the door bell.

"Did I keep you waiting long?" he asked, taking one long stride to reach her spot. Her eyes softened and she smiled one of those smiles, the type that could bring men to their knees from its beauty.

"Not at all Gray-sama." She replied, " Juvia was just enjoying the view." Opening the umbrella, Juvia gestured for Gray to come underneath. " Shall we go then?"

The raven haired man held the piping hot bakery bag out, waiting for her to grab hold of it. " I say we switch, I'll hold the umbrella and you can hold the pastries. It is rather chilly today, it'll warm you up after having to stand out here for so long, Juvia."

The bluenette happily complied and traded her signature blue umbrella for his delicious smelling bag of treats. "Juvia cannot guarantee that everything will be there when we arrive, Juvia is warning you beforehand so that you won't be mad."

Gray raised the umbrella over his head and stepped forward into the rain, " I don't mind at all, today is your day, a favor has to be repaid after all. Now let's get to the gazebo before those things get cold." Juvia happily took the step forward, and while there existed a good inch of space between them as the duo walked, it mattered not to the rain woman. A time would come when the distance could be broken, but for now, even this small semblance of comfort was more than enough for her.

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><p>Juvia felt Gray's attentive stare as she casually ate the france.<p>

" Is something the matter, Gray-sama? You haven't touched your frank yet, it'll get cold soon." She said to the man sitting with his elbow on the table and his hand supporting his head. The blunette smile at him, " Don't only stare at Juvia, Gray-sama!" she said cheerfully.

Gray returned her smile with one of his own, " Sorry, Juvia, I just haven't seen you this happy in a while."

Slidding her frank back into the bag, and lowering it to the table, Juvia turned slightly to be in full view of Gray. Her gleaming eyes held his, " Of course Juvia would be happy." She chimed, " You did agree to take time out of your schedule and accompany Juvia on a date to the park."

The ice mage's pale complexion redden at the mention of the word date. There existed no reason for him to act in such an abash manner, but simply the thought of him and Juvia being anything other than friends caused a nervous fluttering in his stomach. They both underwent a long list of trails and tribulations to attain the momentary peace they currently enjoyed. Losing seven years of their lives, saving the world from dragons, and then saving the world from demons, their platters had been filled to the rim for so long, too long. Therefore, being here today with her, under the gazebo and hidden from the cold rain, placed Gray into a state of serenity and warm contentment. Halcyon days visited him too far and too few, thus the fear of ruining the picturesque moment dawned on him greatly. However at the sight of Juvia's joyful face immediately changing into one of horror, Gray changed his mindset. Maybe these placid days could continue with the change he was about the initiate?

"Juvia's so sorry, Gray-sama!" she said, frantically flailing her arms in the air like a mad man," Juvia just got carried away and called it a date when it wasn't."

"No." he said, interrupting her, " this IS a date, what else would it be?" he said. The bluenette stared at the ice mage, dumbstruck.

"but..but..Gray-sama!" she cried with wide eyes, " if this is a date, then that would mean…..." The water mage appeared on the brink of fainting, clearly shaken up by her own epiphany.

"Yes Juvia, that would mean." He said, gesturing for her to finish.

"that we mutally like each other, that you like Juvia."

Gray laughed at the silly water mage, " of course I like you, Juvia! That's so obvious."

"Oh Gray-sama, please don't say such things to Juvia." She pleadingly said to the ice mage, " you will make Juvia think that you like Juvia as something more than a friend. It is not good for the heart, Gray-sama."

"But I do like you." Gray asserted one more time, assuming that it would make his sentiments clear.

"Yes, yes." The water mage said with a heavy sigh, " Juvia knows, Gray-sama likes Juvia simply as a friend."

"No, Juvia." He said sternly this time, locking his eyes with hers." I really like you." Gray never imagined a confession to be this hard, especially one in which he was telling the girl who he thought was head over heels for him that he did, indeed, like her. Juvia should have been brimming with joy yet all Gray saw for those brief moments were doubt and hesitation. Is this what his years of blatantly ignoring her feelings and essentially friend zoning her had caused?

Juvia stared at the ice mage with saucer like eyes. Her ears must have deceived her, she definitely must of heard those words wrong, not from her Gray-sama's mouth anyway. Juvia stuck her finger in her ear, attempting to remove the wax that impaired her hearing. " Say that again, Gray-sama, I think I heard it wrong."

The ice mage, a bit fed up with her refusal to accept his confession, took her hands into his and stared straight into Juvia's cerulean eyes. He made sure to articulate his words this time. " Juvia Lockser, I really like you, as a lover." It was impossible for her not to understand now that he spelled it out, clear as day, for her.

Gray waited for her response but the bluenette stood still, as if petrified. It never occurred to Gray before, but in that moment the ice mage began to wonder if Juvia actually wanted a relationship. He never thought of the possibility that Juvia may reject him, even though the girl appeared to be smitten with him, that did not necessarily equate to her immediately accepting his confession. A thump began building in his throat, what a pompous, idiot he had been!

"Juvia, I'm sorry. I never considered your feelings, you don't have to answer me right now." He began saying but was cut off by the joy filled screech that escaped from Juvia's mouth.

"Yes, Gray-sama, a million times yes! I really, really like you too!" she cried, her smile stretching from ear to ear. " This must be the happiest day of my life!"

Gray quickly discarded his pessimistic thoughts and smiled as brightly as Juvia did. " And I was beginning to think that I was going to be rejected on this fine, spring day."

"What?" Juvia said, truly baffled, " Gray-sama rejected? By who?"

"By you." He said with a chuckle.

Juvia gasped, " Juvia would never ever consider rejecting Gray-sama, that would be sheer ludacrious, you are my rainbow after the storm. And if you had not confessed right now, Gray-sama, Juvia would have." She meekly said, embarrassed by her own confession and her comparison of him to a rainbow. But he was that was exactly what Gray was to Juvia. He was the hope, the joy, the good at the end of all the bad. "But you beat me to the punch." said said, her smile settling into a gentler yet still positively radiating shape.

Gray stood up and walked those few steps to Juvia's side of the table. He bent down and wrapped his arms around the surprised water mage. " Well thank you for letting me be the rainbow at the end of the storm. And you mean more to me then what I let everyone believe. I may come off as cold, yeah I know, bad pun, but I do care about everyone, even if I don't necessarily show it. I am very grateful that you would stick by me even through all the aloofness I have showed you, and that you would still consider me a viable candidate to date, it means a lot to me."

Juvia leaned into his embrace, enjoying the warmth that radiated off the man who control such a cold element. They stayed like that for a while, simply enjoying each other's company along with the nice spring day. It was only the beginning of many more nicer days to come for the newly formed couple.

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><p><strong>Stay tune for Summer! And I hoped that this specific story gave off a fluffier, light hearted feeling, that was my intention since I always percieved Spring to be one of those more relaxed times, if that makes sense. Anyways though, I hope you enjoyed!<strong>


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